International Heraldry - FAQs

Am I entitled to use a "family" coat of arms?

No. Coats of arms belong to individuals, not families. There is
no such thing as a coat of arms for a surname. Many people of the
same surname will be entitled to completely different coats of arms,
and more of that surname will be entitled to no coat of arms.

For any person to have a right to a coat of arms they must either
have had it granted to them or be descended in the legitimate male
line from a person to whom arms were granted or confirmed in the
past.

In countries that have an heraldic authority - such as the College
of Arms in England or the Lord Lyon in Scotland - you can apply
for a coat of arms or ask to have arms confirmed.

In other countries you can make up anything you like - but you
might be well advised to find a club or society that runs a voluntary
system of registration. They will advise on design and warn about
duplicating existing arms.

Simply adopting someone else';s arms is the height of boorish bad
taste - and guaranteed to impress people for the wrong reasons.

(If you are of Scottish descent you might be entitled to use your
clan badge associated with your name - but not your clan chief's
arms)

How Do I Apply for A Coat of Arms

What is a coat of arms?

Properly,
a coat of arms is exactly what you would expect - a surcoat decorated
with the wearer's arms as shown on the left. Knights bore their
arms on their coats, on their shields and on their caparisoned horses.

In common usage the term applies to what is technically an achievement
of arms - the familiar shield decorated with the owner's arms along
with the other elements: helm, crest, torse, mantling, supporters
etc. as shown on the right.

An achievement of arms

What is a crest?

A crest is a specific part of a full achievement of arms. It is
the three-dimensional object placed on top of the helm.

A popular misconception is that the word 'crest' describes a whole
coat of arms, or an achievement of arms, or any heraldic device.
It does not.

A crest (from the achievement above)

Where can I use my arms?

You can use your arms on any of your possessions. Common uses are
on porcelain and other tableware, silver, windows, cuff-links, seal-rings,
and book plates.

The only constraint is good taste!

Sir Geoffrey Luttrell of Irnham, c.1330,
with his arms on his surcoat, his crest, his saddle, his shoulder
tabs, his caparisoned horse and even his horse's crest. The
same arms also appear on his shield (held by his daughter-in-law)
and his pennon (held by his wife)

Notice the arms on the women's dresses -
his wife has his arms impaled with her father's and his daughter-in-law
wears his arms (actually his son's) impaled with those of
her father.

A tattoo of a variation of the Polish Jastrzebiec
coat of arms, presumably borne by a Mr Jastrzebiec who imagines
that his name entitles him to use these arms.